NEC 680.8

[henrym28]

Hi all,

As it relates to overhead clearances and pools, what separetes a Coax cable from a network powered broadband cable? My understanding is a Coax cable needs 10ft minimum clearance and a network power broadband cable needs 22.5ft clearance, same as a high voltage wire. City Inspector wants coax cable moved 22.5 ft. for a pool build and my customer is throwing a fit over it. Is there an obvious difference between a coax cable and network powered broadband cable? Any guidance is greatly appreciated.

 

[kwired]

Hi all,

As it relates to overhead clearances and pools, what separetes a Coax cable from a network powered broadband cable? My understanding is a Coax cable needs 10ft minimum clearance and a network power broadband cable needs 22.5ft clearance, same as a high voltage wire. City Inspector wants coax cable moved 22.5 ft. for a pool build and my customer is throwing a fit over it. Is there an obvious difference between a coax cable and network powered broadband cable? Any guidance is greatly appreciated.

Ask customer if they like attending funerals?

I wouldn't want any overhead line over my pool. It would potentially introduce voltage gradients in the pool if it were to fall in, don't care if it operates at 10 volts or 1000 volts, it is the voltage between it and the pool equipotential bonding that matters.

 

[RWC/NC.]

Hi all,

As it relates to overhead clearances and pools, what separetes a Coax cable from a network powered broadband cable? My understanding is a Coax cable needs 10ft minimum clearance and a network power broadband cable needs 22.5ft clearance, same as a high voltage wire. City Inspector wants coax cable moved 22.5 ft. for a pool build and my customer is throwing a fit over it. Is there an obvious difference between a coax cable and network powered broadband cable? Any guidance is greatly appreciated.

Curious, is this cable being supported above the area of pool, and is the cable being supported by "bare messenger wire" in the span, above the water surface (?)

 

[kwired]

Curious, is this cable being supported above the area of pool, and is the cable being supported by "bare messenger wire" in the span, above the water surface (?)

And maybe even is it customer owned or does it belong to a utility such as POCO, communications, etc?

Utility company lines sort of exempt from NEC, but the potential hazard related to them being over the pool still is there. NESC I believe does have similar requirements for lines over a pool as NEC though. I don't know if communications companies have any sort of code like this though.

 

[RWC/NC.]

His AHJ was correct, if coax cable was supported by "bare messenger support" wire, above pools water surface. Key element, the word "bare" ..(uninsulated)..

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Hi all,

As it relates to overhead clearances and pools, what separetes a Coax cable from a network powered broadband cable? My understanding is a Coax cable needs 10ft minimum clearance and a network power broadband cable needs 22.5ft clearance, same as a high voltage wire. City Inspector wants coax cable moved 22.5 ft. for a pool build and my customer is throwing a fit over it. Is there an obvious difference between a coax cable and network powered broadband cable? Any guidance is greatly appreciated.

I believe the cable from the utility would fill the definition of network powered.

830.1 Scope. This article covers network-powered broadband
communications systems that provide any combination of
voice, audio, video, data, and interactive services through a
network interface unit.
Informational Note No. 1: A typical basic system configuration
includes a cable supplying power and broadband signal to a
network interface unit that converts the broadband signal to the
component signals. Typical cables are coaxial cable with both
broadband signal and power on the center conductor, composite
metallic cable with a coaxial member(s) or twisted pair
members for the broadband signal and twisted pair members for
power, and composite optical fiber cable with a pair of conductors
for power. Larger systems may also include network components
such as amplifiers that require network power.

A typical single-family network-powered
communications circuit consists of a communications drop or
communications service cable and an NIU and includes the
communications utility’s serving terminal or tap where it is not
under the exclusive control of the communications utility.

 

[RWC/NC.]

And it very well could have Dennis. And when posting response #3 to OP's question, noticing he hadn't "logged-out" for sometime afterwards. So didn't get a response to posting #3.. As far as "speculation".. His discription, in original posting in #1..

 

[hbiss]

I believe the cable from the utility would fill the definition of network powered.

A network powered cable would be one that carries power as well as signal. The power could be carried by the coax itself ("phantom powered") or there could be two separate conductors molded into the cable jacket. That power (usually low voltage AC) is used to power utility owned equipment on or in the building rather than taking power from a customer's receptacle.

That said, network powering is rarely if ever used today for this purpose. My opinion is that this is just a normal coax drop. But it would be good for the OP to come back with more information since he is asking about a Coax cable and a network powered broadband cable. The question is what is it for?

I wouldn't want it running over a pool regardless.

-Hal

 

[RWC/NC.]

Yes, I wouldn't necessarily want it above my pool either. Maybe the OP will return and "fill-in" the blanks.. A better description into situation, would helpful..